Quote:
Originally Posted by Evil Q
Anyway, is there a nice, simple guide available to get F@H to run on both GPUs in an SLI rig?
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I'm happy to walk you through it Q. I found the other guides haphazard, so have put together the guts of what you need to know below with visual aids, which are always the most helpful to me
Here's what you need for starters
Multiple Displays Recognised
*Outputs from each GPU need to be enabled, this is easiest if you happen to have two monitors, but for those that don't - you can construct a dummy plug that will make your nvidia CP think there is a second display.
I know you'll have no probs with it - so here's the famous
30 second dummy plug guide
Once you get your nvidia control panel to recognise two displays, make sure they arent in clone mode. This may possible be different seeing you have separate cards, but Ive noticed this with my 295 and the more recent drivers.
Install The Client
Install folding@home. Only install the new client if you have a Fermi card, If not, stick to the stable
6.23
>>Next, enable hidden folders in windows. I think you know how to do that, but let me know if you dont! This is so that you can find the actual folder that does contains the guts of the client, so that it can be replicated for the second GPU. It actually isnt in C/program files, but in:
C/Users/USERNAME/AppData/Roaming/
Where USERNAME is of course whatever your windows account name is
In this Roaming folder you will see the folding@homegpu folder, simply copy and paste a second one and rename it with a 2 at the end.
To ensure you havent doubled up and are using both cards to work on same work unit, make sure the files highlighted in the blue square are NOT in the second folder you have created.
Setting Up The Shortcuts
I wish someone spelt it out easily to me.... this is where I got stuck for a bit, but once you see it visually - it makes sense.
You need to create a custom shortcuts FOR EACH CLIENT - Go to the folding folder in Program files, and R.Click the exe to make a new shortcut. Then R.click the the shortcut, and select Properties to adjust its parameters. Target and Start In are what you are looking at
Target: Your folding folder in Program Files. The location doesn't need to be changed but you need to add the -gpu X flag after it, corresponding to that number you put into the config
eg.
Code:
"C:\Program Files\Folding@home\Folding@home-gpu\Folding@home.exe" -gpu 0
Start In: >> This is what you need to change from the default, to your folding folder in the usually hidden folder in AppData/Roaming
Code:
"C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Roaming\Folding@home-gpu"
Hence, you need to create Two shortcuts, one for each GPU.
One shortcut's "Start in" points to the first folding@home-gpu folder in AppData/Roaming, and the second points to the second folder you created in there.
Setting Up The Multiple Clients Config
To get to the clients config, start a client from teh new shortcuts you have created. You will see a coloured icon(s) on the system tray >>R click the folding icon in the system tray when it is running(or it usually comes up automatically after a fresh install) You have to do this twice of course, once for each client.
Under the USER tab(not pictured_ you will need to put in your username and our team number of course: 140370.
For the CONNECTION and ADVANCED Tabs:
Is is essential you get the insert the -gpu X flag (where x is whatever corresponding number to what you set up in the folding client config)
Hence
1st CARD/GPU: Config: says -gpu 0 in parameters and in the shortcut
2nd CARD/GPU: Config says -gpu 1 in parameters and in the shortcut
Also ensure each machine has a
different ID in the config
Once all that is done, THATS IT!
To test it, set up a folding monitor such as
FahMon and set up client monitoring corresponding to each folder in AppData Roaming.
Good Luck - let us know if anything needs clarifying
mtfbwya